1. The Lord said to Moses,
2. "Speak to the people of Israel. Say to them, 'Suppose a man or woman wants to make a special promise. They want to set themselves apart to the Lord for a certain period of time. They want to be Nazirites.
3. " 'Then they must not drink any kind of wine. They must not drink vinegar that is made out of wine of any kind. They must not drink grape juice. They must not eat grapes or raisins.
4. As long as they are Nazirites, they must not eat anything grapevines produce. They must not even eat the seeds or skins of grapes.
5. " 'They must not use razors on their heads. They must not cut their hair during the whole time they have set themselves apart to the Lord. They must be holy until that time is over. They must let the hair on their heads grow long.
6. And they must not go near a dead body during that whole time.
7. " 'But what if their father or mother dies? Or what if their brother or sister dies? Then they must not make themselves "unclean" because of them. The hair on their heads shows they are set apart for God.
8. During the whole time they are set apart they are holy to the Lord.
9. " 'Suppose someone dies suddenly in front of them. That makes the hair they have set apart to the Lord "unclean." So they must shave their heads on the day they will be made "clean." That is the seventh day.
10. " 'Then on the eighth day they must bring two doves. Or they can bring two young pigeons. They must bring them to the priest. He will be at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
11. The priest must offer one of the birds as a sin offering. And he must offer the other as a burnt offering. The sacrifices will pay for the sin of the Nazirite man or woman. They sinned by being near a dead body. That same day they must set their heads apart as holy.